In the 1950s and 1960s, Watson worked as an arranger and composer for various television and film productions, including The Jackie Gleason Show, The Ed Sullivan Show, and the film Shaft. He also wrote and arranged music for many Broadway musicals, including The Wiz, Bubbling Brown Sugar, and The Life.
Watson was a highly influential figure in the development of jazz and popular music. His work is noted for its rich textures and complex harmonies, and he is considered to be one of the most important composers and arrangers of the 20th century. He died of a heart attack in New York City in 1978.